No extractor fan in bathroom - what are my rights?

Georgialeeq

I have been renting a property for over a year now from a private landlord. We've (as far as i'm concerned) been very good tenants and never caused a fuss. However recently our bathroom light switch (pull cord) keeps breaking. The electrician the landlady called out explained that it is very likely breaking because of condensation and he can fix the light switch but unless and extractor fan is fitted it will just keep happening.

Just for context our bathroom is very small, on an interior wall (we live in a block of flats) and obviously does not have a window or an extractor fan. There is some kind of vent at the top of the wall but i have no idea where it leads or what it is for. The bathroom is always damp and there is mould on the ceiling and tiles which I periodically wipe off to keep it at bay.

The landlady has told us she will look into putting a fan in but 'this is a lengthy and invasive process, so don't hold your breath' - direct quote. In the meantime she wants us to use the dehumidifier that came with the house religiously after we shower, and shower with the door to the bathroom open. We use the dehumidifier when we can but in order to do so a large extension lead has to be run from the nearest plug, through the entire hallway and into the bathroom. It's an eyesore and not practical to have cables running through the house all the time. I'm also concerned as to how this will affect our electricity bill - I know they are very expensive to run.

So I guess my question is... Is there any way I can legally get her to put a fan in (it would really help as the whole place smells of damp and I have respiratory problems which flare up whenever I spend to long at home.)
If not, do I have a chance of asking her to install a proper plug socket outside the bathroom, and pay for some of our electricity bill on account of running the costly dehumidifier all day every day. As for showering with the door wide open...SURELY she can't make us give up our privacy like that?!

Sorry the the very long post but any advice would be much appreciated

Finchy2018

The first house i rented has the bathroom on an interior side of the house. Keeping bedroom windows and the door open after showers meant we never experienced any issue with damp.

FreeBear

Georgialeeq wrote: »

We use the dehumidifier when we can but in order to do so a large extension lead has to be run from the nearest plug, through the entire hallway and into the bathroom.

Please do not ever, and I repeat, ever run an extension lead in to a bathroom. It is a serious safety hazard that could very easily get you (or someone else) electrocuted. Please, do not do it.


As for fitting an extractor, as this is a flat, and probably leasehold, not a simple job. It may well require approval from the leaseholder and a fair bit of paperwork & expense is involved.

lisyloo

My dehumidifier is really cheap to run.

anselld

Building regulations require an internal shower room to have ventilation. How that can be achieved retrospectively is another question and Council may or may not choose to enforce it as a health and safety issue.

Dehumidifiers are not that expensive to run but I would agree with others it is unsafe to do so in a bathroom.

AdrianC

Georgialeeq wrote: »

Just for context our bathroom is very small, on an interior wall (we live in a block of flats) and obviously does not have a window or an extractor fan. There is some kind of vent at the top of the wall but i have no idea where it leads or what it is for.

It's for the extractor fan... which clearly isn't working.

G_M

May well fall within appendix III of
Housing health and safety rating system: guidance for landlords and property-related professionals

Adequate extraction of moisture laden air during peak times, like cooking andbathing and laundry;

•Continuous low-level background ventilation where necessary;
•Sufficient means of ventilation to cope with moisture from normal domesticactivities without the need to open windows that could lead to heat loss, noiseand security risks; and....

Local Authority can serve an enforcement notice.

lisyloo

If this affects your health have you considered just moving?

Doozergirl

I'd be amazed if there wasn't a fan installed if the bathroom if it was designed and built internally. This is a block of flats, not a conversion. They would have known it needed ventilating. Otherwise condensation and mould is a virtual certainty.

It must be what the 'vent' is hiding - albeit a broken one. It must go somewhere. Can you look behind it?

davidmcn

Doozergirl wrote: »

It must be what the 'vent' is hiding - albeit a broken one. It must go somewhere. Can you look behind it?

It could lead to a communal fan elsewhere, which would explain why you can't hear much. Often those don't appear particularly effective even if technically "working" (which is probably still grounds to get it sorted).

another_casualty

Not 100% sure , but I thought that pull cord lighting in the bathroom was not allowed anymore . It's the landlady's place and she is ruining her bathroom and doesn't seem to want to pay for a basic essential when there is no ventilation anywhere .That's not right . She needs to get a switch on the wall Which has a timer on it which runs a few minutes after you have turned the lights off . I'm living in a leasehold flat, no windows . On the outer wall of my bathroom I have a light switch which works with the extractor fan combined . No mould or damp .
Same setup as my kitchen . Has your kitchen got any windows? If not then she should sort that out also. Hope this helps ..